JEFFREY EPSTEIN survivors are aligning with Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in his bid for a Texas Senate seat, pressing Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton to take legal action against the U.S. Department of Justice over its handling of Epstein-related documents. The push came Thursday at a Dallas stop of a traveling exhibit that displays the full printed Epstein files, a move that injects the long-running scandal into an already heated political contest.
Talarico, who is challenging Paxton in the 2026 race, stood alongside several survivors at the exhibit, which features 3,437 volumes of released records. The event was timed to coincide with President Donald Trump's appearance at a GOP convention nearby, and the exhibit includes a timeline detailing the relationship between Trump and Epstein. Talarico framed the issue as nonpartisan, asking: "When did pedophilia become a partisan issue? When did holding sexual abusers accountable become controversial? When did Ken Paxton decide it was okay to ignore these survivors?"
The Paxton campaign responded by questioning Talarico's motives, pointing to donations from Reid Hoffman, a billionaire and longtime Epstein associate, to a super PAC supporting Talarico. Campaign spokesperson Madison Cercy said, "If James Talarico was really concerned about the survivors of Epstein's horrific crimes, his campaign infrastructure wouldn't have taken over $11.5 million from Epstein's long time associate, Reid Hoffman. Now, James Talarico continues to lie to Texans about his radical record with the help of Epstein money. It's disgusting that the man claiming to run a campaign against billionaires is bought and paid for by Epstein's billionaire buddy."
Notably, Hoffman's contributions went to Lone Star Rising PAC, a Talarico-aligned group, not directly to Talarico's campaign. Federal law prohibits coordination between candidates and super PACs, and Talarico's team noted he has pledged to push for a ban on super PACs if elected. The attack echoes broader Democratic donor trends, as some wealthy contributors are increasingly bypassing party committees in favor of independent groups, a dynamic that has reshaped campaign finance in recent cycles.
Survivor Sharlene Rochard accused Paxton of refusing to meet with the group, while another survivor, Annie Farmer, said Sen. John Cornyn also declined to meet this summer over concerns about Trump's attorney general pick, Todd Blanche. According to Politico, Blanche met with Ghislaine Maxwell, a convicted Epstein associate, just before her transfer to a minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas. Farmer said, "Texans need leaders that will send a strong message to survivors of these crimes that no matter how powerful the perpetrator, accountability will be pursued."
Talarico made two direct demands: that Paxton meet with survivors and that he sue the DOJ over the mishandling of Epstein files. The concerns are twofold: Talarico points to 2.5 million unreleased documents, while survivors criticize the DOJ for failing to properly redact victims' personal information. Dani Bensky, a former ballerina who met Epstein at 17, said her identifying details—name, phone number, school, and workplace—were exposed, while perpetrators' emails were hidden. "Every single time that it was an awful heinous crime, the email address is redacted and you can't see who it's coming from," she said. "But all of my identifying information was out there."
Bensky also alleged that nude photos of underage girls were released by the DOJ. She recounted how a BBC tour of the exhibit accidentally revealed a page with "800 photos of young nude girls," prompting the question: "So who is our government protecting?" The episode underscores the delicate balance between transparency and victim privacy, a tension that has fueled ongoing legal battles over document releases.
The Dallas exhibit is part of a swing-state tour, with the timing clearly aimed at maximizing political impact. Talarico's campaign has sought to portray Paxton as out of step with Texans on accountability, while Paxton's team has tried to turn the spotlight back on Talarico's fundraising. The clash highlights how the Epstein case remains a potent political weapon, even as it raises complex legal and ethical questions.
As the exhibit moves to other battleground states, the pressure on Paxton and other Texas officials is likely to intensify. Whether Paxton will heed the calls to sue the DOJ remains uncertain, but the issue has already become a flashpoint in the Senate race, with survivors and their advocates determined to keep it in the public eye.
